The Four Seasons

Three days went by after Harry woke up. He was quiet and clung to Severus and it took another three days before he told his father what happened that day.

"Harry said it was a shadowy figure that attacked him," Severus said.

"Hermione and Draco said the same thing," Jacob replied with a nod. "They said it kept attacking Harry."

"Just Harry?" asked Remus, surprised.

"Just Harry," Jacob confirmed, "and the only reason they got hurt was because they tried to help him."

Severus sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. The glasses of fire whiskey that had been poured earlier remained untouched.

"Did you two find anything?" Voldemort then asked the two Werewolves.

"We found no footprints," Remus answered, "but we caught a scent," here, he shivered, "it was... unnerving."

"How so?" Severus asked.

"It smelt like darkness," answered Fenrir with an uneasy growl. "Rotting darkness."

"What could smell like that?" Jacob asked, surprised.

"Not a lot of things," Voldemort answered. It was true, there very few spells, creatures or potions that could give off such a scent; even fewer that could get past the Draco Suscéptor ritual, that was suppose to protect Harry from all this. At least that narrows things down, he thought.

By the time his guests left, it was midnight (still no nearer to finding out who or what attacked the children) and Severus and Voldemort went to bed. Neither were surprised when around one in the morning, they were awakened by a teary-eyed and scared Harry.

"Did you have a bad dream?" Severus asked groggily.

Sniffing, Harry nodded.

Severus yawned as Voldemort lifted the boy and tucked him between them.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Voldemort asked as Harry curled up against his Daddy, burying his face in the man's clothed chest, little hands clinging.

The child shook his head.

Voldemort said nothing as he ran his fingers through the soft black hair, listening as the soft breathing evened out.

Like all children, Harry will eventually forget all about it his terrifying adventure, hopefully with no backlash.

Eventually, he will stop looking at the woods with large hesitant eyes and stop jumping at shadows.

Eventually, he will stop having nightmares and will no longer want the light left on at night.

Eventually, Harry will be better.

Severus and Voldemort both hoped that eventually will come soon.

3 years ago when Harry was two years old

The funeral was, to be honest, pathetic. Only the grave keeper, Remus, Jacob, and oddly enough Severus attended the service.

"I'm surprised you came," Remus told Severus, his eyes on the gravestone.

"I may despise him, but he was Harry's godfather," Severus answered. "It wouldn't be right of me to deny him this knowledge. Besides, I'm sure you'll continue to talk about him for years to come."

Remus smiled at the deliberate put-upon look on Severus' face before turning to Jacob who was holding Harry. The toddler was happily talking to the Medi-wizard who listened to him attentively.

"Jacob," Remus said, holding out his hands for the child.

Jacob handed Harry over.

"'Emus!" Harry squealed happily.

Remus smiled before nuzzling his forehead with a rumble that resembled a purr, making Harry giggle.

"Look here, Harry," Remus said and knelt down by the gravestone, "this is your godfather, Sirius Black, a bit hot-tempered but loyal to a fault."

Severus moved over to where Jacob had taken to looking at another gravestone a few steps away. Both men figured it was best to give the Werewolf some privacy.

"Remus said all three of you went to Hogwarts together with Harry's parents," Jacob said after a few moments of silence. "You all didn't get along," he added when he noticed the blank face.

"No," Severus replied, his tone sharp.

Jacob paused with his next question. He knew when Remus spoke about the Potions Master's relationship with him and Harry's parents that it was a sensitive subject for Severus, and really, he should just leave well enough alone, but he was a Medi-wizard.

Practically the lovechild of caring and healing.

"You were bullied," Jacob stated.

It said something about their friendship that Severus merely raised a an eyebrow at him instead of glaring or hexing his arse, or both.

"Lily was my friend. My only friend in Hogwarts and my first love."

Ah, that explained the man taking Harry in. Jacob had always wondered about that, especially after Remus explained the strained relationship between James and Severus.

"James, for whatever reason - me being in Slytherin or Lily being closer to me than him at first - didn't like me. More often than not, I was the target of many of his and Black's pranks. I hated them for it, but... but I hated myself more for losing Lily's friendship later on."

Jacob was tempted to ask how he had done that and he was pretty sure he would get the answer, but he decided against it. He had already opened a wound, it would be cruel to rub salt in it.

"Do you still hate them?"

Severus looked over at Remus and Harry. The Werewolf was still taking to Harry, his amber eyes suspiciously bright and wet, then he looked back at his friend.

"To be honest, I'm not sure."

Present time

It was spring. Flowers were in bloom, birds were singing, and families were out enjoying the cool windy spring day.

"Daddy look!"

Severus watched as Harry hung upside down on the monkey bars, his face bright and happy. The child gave a wave when he got his father's attention and Severus waved back before looking around the playground. Many of the parents he recognized as Harry's classmate's parents and when he looked back at Harry (now playing with a boy in the sand), he was glad they had decided to come here today.

It had been a couple of months since The Incident. Although all three children were no longer bothered by it, the adults still were, especially Severus. It not only bothered him that the creature that had attacked Harry was long gone with no clues except for a scent, but that his home had practically been invaded... although the new and much stronger wards around his house and the small woods behind it made him feel a little calmer.

"Good afternoon, Severus!"

Startled out of his thoughts, Severus looked to his left to see Marge waving at him from the field where many of the townsfolk let their dogs run and play. At the woman's feet was Ripper. Holding back the urge to make a face, Severus gave a brief wave before turning his attention back to his son who was now (along with his new friend) playing with three girls. It looked like a game of tag.

"Excuse me."

Severus looked up to see a young woman (very young) standing in front of him and holding cooing baby in her arms.

"May I sit here?" she asked.

Severus nodded and the mother did so with a relieved sigh before smiling down at her baby when it gurgled at her.

"Thank you," she said to Severus.

"Not a problem," Severus answered, his eyes searching for his son. Harry was running and laughing while one of his new friends chased him and was now missing a shoe.

"Which one's yours?" the young woman asked.

"The one with the blue shorts, red shirt and missing one shoe."

"He looks like a handful," she said with a smile when she spotted Harry.

"Only when filled with sugar."

She laughed at that. "I hope my little Henry won't be as active!"

"How old is he?"

"Just turned two months last week."

After that, Severus found himself talking to her. Her name was Anne and she was the new owner of a little book and café place that had recently opened in town. She had moved here about two weeks ago and when he asked about Henry's father, she merely smiled and said 'gone'. Knowing a sensitive subject when he heard one, Severus turned his attention back to Henry, giving the obviously new mom some tips and answering her questions.

He was just explaining about baby food brands when suddenly there was screaming. Terrified screaming that sounded very familiar.

Eyes instantly searching for his son, Severus found Harry climbing up a tree (no longer will he complain about Fenrir teaching his son how to become a monkey again) just as that damned dog Ripper snapped his jaws at the space where Harry's foot had been just an instant earlier.

He was up on his feet, wand out, as he swiftly made his way over before his mind could even register he had done so. His mind was so intent on Avada Kedavra the animal seven times over that he was startled when a large blur whooshed by him.

There was growling and snarling and then Ripper was up in the air and yelping. When he landed on the ground, he whimpered and backed away from an enormous, jet-black pale-eyed dog.

There was silence in the park as everyone stared at the growling dog that stood protectively in front the tree that Harry was up in.

Then Marge started screaming.

"Monster!" The large woman screeched from where she was kneeling on the ground, cradling her still whimpering bulldog. "Look what the beast did to my Ripper!"

Ignoring her, Severus put away his wand and went over to the tree. He raised an eyebrow at the dog who merely silenced his growling before sitting back on his hind legs.

"Harry," Severus called softly. "It's alright, you can come down now. It's safe."

The moment Harry was down from the tree and in his arms, Severus expected a bout of clinging and crying. What he wasn't expecting was a big grin and excited chatter.

"Did you see that, Daddy!?" Harry exclaimed, small hands flailing about (and nearly taking Severus's eye out). "Did you see the way that dog sent Ripper flying, it was amazing! Can we keep him? Pleeeeeaaasssseee?"

Luckily, Severus was saved from answering by a furious Marge striding towards them with Ripper in her arms, followed by a Constable. Apparently, someone had called the police.

"There it is, Constable!" Marge shrieked. "There's that beast that attacked my Ripper!"

The Constable's eyebrows rose up to his hairline when he saw the size of the dog now sitting docilely on the ground. He turned to Severus who stood beside it.

"That your dog?" he asked.

Severus looked at the man and then at Marge and then the people watching them and then at Harry's pleading eyes before looking down at the dog who looked back at him with a tilt of the head. He then turned back to the Constable.

"Sure," Severus said with a shrug.

Marge started screaming again.

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